Spring connector for making electrical connection to a circuit member



May 25, 1965 a. D. GREEN 3,185,805

SPRING CONNECTOR FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TO A CIRCUIT MEMBER Filed July 19, 1962 M 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TO EY i May 25, 1965 GREEN 7 3,185,805

SPRING CONNECTOR FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TO A CIRCUIT MEMBER Filed July 19, 1962 I8 as 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fug. 5

TO CIRCLHTS OR DEVICES INVENTOE United States Patent 3,185,805 SPRING CONNECTOR FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TO A CIRCUIT MEMBER Geoffrey D. Green, Wilmette, Ill., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a

corporation of New York Filed July 19, 1962, Ser. No. 210,969 2 Claims. (Cl. 200-166) The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector, and more particularly to a connector designed to make a changeable connection from a common terminal to a selected one or group of a series of terminals. Accordingly, the general objects of the invention are to provide new and improved connectors of such character.

In electrical assemblies including a number of electrical components in a co-ordinate matrix, it is sometimes desirable to make a semi-permanent connection from a common terminal to a selected one or group of a series of terminals. Such a connection should be capable of being easily changed so that different selections of terminals may be made. It is further desirable that the changeable matrix connector be of a versatile unitary construction which can be fabricated to facilitate any number of connections, depending upon the application, yet is intrinsically compact and inexpensive.

Accordingly, more specific objects of the invention are to provide new and improved changeable matrix connectors which are of a versatile, unitary construction, and which can be fabricated to facilitate any number of connections, depending upon the application, yet are intrinsically compact and inexpensive.

A connector in accordance with the invention includes a strip of resilient metal having formed integrally at one edge thereof a contact finger which is bent back over the strip so that it is spaced therefrom. The free end of the finger is shaped to form a catch engageable with the opposite edge of the strip to releasably latch the resilient contact finger in a first or open-circuit position wherein it is spaced from a circuit member. The finger is biased by the inherent resilience thereof to move away from the strip, when released, to a second or closed-circuit position contacting the circuit members.

In accordance with a specific embodiment of the invention a connector having a plurality of resilient contact fingers is mounted in opposed relationship with respect to a plurality of terminals. The contact fingers form with the strip a generally U-shaped configuration of which the curved portion of each finger adjacent to the strip constitutes a spring-hinge for supporting that finger for movement to and from the closed-circuit position in contact with the terminals. Each finger is further formed with a depending portion at the free end thereof having the catch formed at its end.

Other objects, advantages and aspects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment thereof when taken in conjunction with appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector forming a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the connector in FIG. 1 with some of the contact fingers in an open-circuit position and others in the closed-circuit position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the connector in FIG. 2 depicting the relative positions of the contact fingers in open and closed-circuit positions with respect to terminals of associated circuitry;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing symbolically the application of the connector as a changeable matrix connector in a diode matrix;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram depicting the application of the connector as a series of single pole switches to control current fiow to electrical components; and

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a connector forming an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a connector in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention includes at strip '10 of resilient metal having formed integrally at one edge thereof a plurality of spaced contact fingers 11-11 bent back over the strip 10 so that they are spaced therefrom. The contact finger-s 11-11 form with the strip 10 a generally U-shaped configuration of which the curved portion 12 of each finger 11 adjacent to the strip 10 constitutes a spring-hinge for supporting that finger for movement to and from a closed-circuit position shown in FIG. 1.

Each finger 11 is formed with a depending portion 13 at the free end thereof having a catch 14 at its end which is engageable with the opposite edge 15 of the strip 10. When the catch 14 is engaged with the opposite edge 15 of the strip 10, the finger 11 is releasably latched in an open-circuit position as indicated at 16 in FIG. 2. Upon release of the catch 14, however, the contact fingers 11-11, being biased by the inherent resilience thereof, spring to the closed-circuit position indicated by the numeral 17 in FIG. 2.

In operation the changeable matrix connector is disposed in opposed relationship to a series of terminals 18-18, as illustrated in FIG. 3, such that when the catch .14 of a finger 11 is engaged over the longitudinal edge 15 of the strip 10, as at 19, a contact surface 20 of the finger is spaced from an associated terminal 18. When the catch is disengaged, the contact surface 20 is forced into contact with an associated terminal 18, as at 21, as the finger 11 springs back way from the strip 10 to the closed-circuit position. Thus, in effect, the connector functions as a series of singlepole switches with one pole common, to make electrical connection with associated circuitry.

Connectors of this design can be used in matrix form or singly. FIG. 4 depicts symbolically a plurality of connectors forming with individual diodes 22-22 a matrix wherein the diodes 22-22 are selectively con nected or disconnected by the contact fingers 11-11 of such connectors. Each connector by itself constitutes a series of single-pole switches, as is illustrated in FIG. 5, and thus can be used to control current flow to electrical components such as resistors, diodes, capacitors, lamps, and other electrical components, or combinations of these.

The configuration of the connector is readily adaptable to satisfy the requirements of various mounting arrangements. Such an adaptation is illustrated in FIG. 6, wherein the strip 10 is to be mounted flush with the upper surface '23 of the base 24. In order to facilitate the engagement o-f the finger 11 with the edge 15 of the strip 10, the strip is bent perpendicular to itself to form a riser 26 and then perpendicular to the riser to form tread 27 of a stair 28 so that the edge 15 is spaced from the surface 23 of the base 24 and the catch 14 is readily engageable therewith.

Thus, the present invention contemplates a changeable matrix connector which has many applications. Its versatile unitary construction enables it to be fabricated with any number of contact fingers to meet the requirements of a wide variety of applications. In addition, the connector facilitates easily changeable, semi-permanent common connections to a selected group of a esries of terminals in any given application. Yet with all these advantages embodied in the connector, it is nevertheless intrinsically compact and inexpensive.

While certain specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail hereinabove, it will be obvious the various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. -A spring connector for making electrical connection to a plurality of circuit members, which comprises:

a fiat base strip of resilient metal having formed integrally at one edge thereof a plurality of spaced contact fingers, each bent back over said base strip to form therewith an acute angle, the free end of each of said fingers being bent toward the opposite edge of said base strip and having an undulation therein forming a catch cooperable with said opposite edge to releaseably latch that finger in a first or opencircuit position wherein it is spaced from an associated circuit member, and each of said fingers being biased by the inherent resilience thereof to move away from the base strip, when released, to

at one edge thereof, said contact finger being bent back over said base strip to form therewith an acute angle, and the free end of said contact finger being further bent toward the opposite edge of said base strip and having an undulation therein forming a catch cooperable with said opposite edge to releasably latch the resilient contact finger in a first or opencircuit position, said contact finger being biased by the inherent resilience thereof to move away from said base strip, when released, to a second or closedcircuit position; and

a second contact member fixedly arranged with respect References Cited by the Examiner a second or closed-cricuit position wherein it con- 20 tacts the associated circuit member.

2. An electrical switch comprising:

a first contact member including a base strip of resilient metal having a contact finger formed integrally UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,956,141 10/60 Smith 200166 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SPRING CONNECTOR FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TO A PLURALITY OF CIRCUIT MEMBERS, WHICH COMPRISES: A FLAT BASE STRIP OF RESILIENT METAL HAVING FORMED INTEGRALLY AT ONE EDGE THEREOF A PLURALITY OF SPACED CONTACT FINGERS, EACH BENT BACK OVER SAID BASE STRIP TO FORM THEREWITH AN ACUTE ANGLE, THE FREE END OF EACH OF SAID FINGERS BEING BENT TOWARD THE OPPOSITE EDGE OF SAID BASE STRIP AND HAVING AN UNDULATION THEREIN FORMING A CATCH COOPERABLE WITH SAID OPPOSITE EDGE TO RELEASABLY LATCH THAT FINGER IN A FIRST OR OPENCIRCUIT POSITION WHEREIN IT IS SPACED FROM AN ASSOCIATED CIRCUIT MEMBER, AND EACH OF SAID FINGERS BEING BIASED BY THE INHERENT RESILIENCE THEREOF TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE BASE STRIP, WHEN RELEASED, TO A SECOND OR CLOSED-CIRCUIT POSITION WHEREIN IT CONTACTS THE ASSOCIATED CIRCUIT MEMBER. 